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Our Weekend Getaway is Just Two Months Away!!

As Dan & I celebrated the July 4th holiday with some very good friends, I realized that our weekend getaway at Harpole’s Heartland Lodge is just two months away – and I can hardly wait. Our wedding anniversary is September 4 – we will have been married 13 years – and even though OUR ‘weekend getaway’ normally falls on the Monday and Tuesday of Labor Day weekend, we are looking forward to our annual trip to the lodge. (Picture-We are holding Albert Pujols' rookie bat that he gave to the lodge when he stayed. So cool!!)

When Gary approached me back in January about writing a blog for the resort, I was a little skeptical – excited but skeptical. But I can honestly say that I have enjoyed sharing some of our experiences with you. And in the past few months, I’ve learned so much more about the lodge – things I never knew or thought about. Did you know that wild blackberries are in season at the lodge? I knew the lodge – situated between the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers – was a great mushroom spot but I never thought about wild blackberries! And I learned that by reading Aaron and Terry’s most recent blog on wild blackberries– check it out! I guess sometimes we get so used to our routine that we don’t always step outside the box and explore the world beyond our door.

If you go back and read my first blog in February, you’ll learn how Dan & I found the lodge all those years ago. You’ll also learn some of our favorite things about the lodge and why we look forward to returning each year. The accommodations are top-notch, the food is out of this world, and the horseback ridingis the best morning activity! But this year, we have decided to hit the ATV riding trailsalso. I have to admit, I’m a little nervous but I want to wear the “Some Like It Easy…Some Like It Rough” shirt proudly (and then my next blog on ATV riding will be from experience).

But if outdoor activities aren’t at the top of your to-do list, check out my blog about curling up with a good book - normally thought of as a wintertime or rainy day activity. Take into account that we are in the throngs of summer and haven’t had any substantial rain in FOREVER; this could become a heat-of-the-day activity. When it’s too hot to enjoy any outdoor activity, take a little quiet time and grab that book you’ve wanted to sink into. A nice cool room, comfy chair, peace and quiet – either in your luxury suite or the recreation room – and you have all the ingredients for a great afternoon of reading.

Regardless of what activity we (or you) elect to do at the lodge, you can’t go wrong. And remember, you don’t have to cook or clean – it’s all done for you as a guest at the lodge. And where else can you go that doesn’t allow shoes in their facility? No restaurant that I know of – and that’s one of MY favorite things (taking shoes off – not wearing them). It may take some getting used to but when you look at the beautiful hardwood floors, you’ll understand why! Embrace it and give your feet a break.

They say that time flies if you’re having fun so obviously, I’m having fun. It seemed like ages ago when the first blog hit the web site and now, Dan & I are just a couple of months away from where it all began. And there’s so much more to come. We’re headed to Raging Rivers Water Park next weekend and the Illinois State Fair will be coming up in August so check back often. I’ll try to keep you up-to-date on what’s happening in Heartland’s backyard so you can enjoy some of what we have enjoyed over the years.